Richard Wagner’s “Bridal Chorus,” also known as “Here Comes The Bride,” has been the customary processional in Western weddings for over a century and while this is one of the most familiar wedding traditions, there are plenty of alternatives for those who want something different.

You can choose another classical piece, or you can break from tradition entirely and select music from popular culture, a song that has special significance to you as a couple. You also do not have to have an organ playing the tune. Guitars, flutes, and harps are common organ alternatives, but you can have any kind of musician you want or play a CD if you aren’t having live musicians. Here are some popular and/or unique alternatives to the typical wedding march:

Classical

• Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring

(J.S. Bach)

• Pachelbel’s Canon

• Greensleeves

• Ave Maria (J.S. Bach)

• Mozart’s Minuet

Modern/Popular

• What a Wonderful World

(Louis Armstrong)

• Can’t Help Falling in Love

(Elvis Presley)

•Come What May (Nicole Kidman and Ewan McGregor on the Moulin Rouge Soundtrack)

• My Life (The Beatles)

• You and I (Stevie Wonder)

• Appalachia Waltz (Yo-Yo Ma,

Edgar Meyer, Mark O’Connor)

• Sunrise, Sunset (from Fiddler on the

Roof; Sheldon Harnick & Jerry Bock)

• The Look of Love

(Dionne Warwick/Burt Bacharach)

• The Vow (Jeremy Lubbock)

• To A Wild Rose

(Edward MacDowell)

• Flatbush Waltz (Andy Statman)

• Wedding Processional (from The

Sound of Music; Richard Rodgers

& Oscar Hammerstein)

• In My life (The Beatles)

• Only Time (Enya)

Of course these are just some of the thousands of love songs you have to choose from, and that is only if you want to use a love song at all. Without a doubt, your choice of music will create a lasting impression that people remember for years to come.